A police hunt has been launched for a motorist who officers say 'unbelievably' splashed a mum and her two children by driving through a massive puddle.

Cambridgeshire police have launched an appeal for witnesses - and if the driver is caught they could face a fine of up to £5,000.

The driver could also be slapped with a public order offence if seen to deliberately drive through puddles to target pedestrians.

The puddle, which police say was 20ft in length, was at the junction of Pig Lane and Greengrath in St Ives.

The mum was pushing a pram with one child in it and another was walking alongside her when the car drove through the puddle - leaving the trio soaked.

Splash junction - Pig Lane and Greengarth in St Ives (Image: Google)

A police spokesman said: "On Thursday, January 4 around noon, a mother was with her two children, one in a pram and the other walking alongside her near the junction of Pig Lane and Greengarth in St Ives.

"Due to the poor weather a very large puddle had built up due to a blocked drain near to the junction which was half way across the road.

"It was not raining and the puddle, some 20 feet in length, could easily be seen by motorists.

"Unbelievably a motorist drove through the puddle causing the water to soak the three.

"The driver could well have waited to drive around the puddle or drive through it very slowly so as to not cause water to splash anyone on the footpath.

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"Did you see the vehicle drive through the puddle causing the three to be soaked?

"Are you aware as to the vehicle/driver identity?"

Contact PCSO Phil Davis at St Ives Police Station on 101 with any information.

The law on splashing someone with your car

Under British law, drivers could be hit with a maximum fine of £5,000 if they are caught driving through a puddle which causes a pedestrian to be splashed.

It is illegal to splash a pedestrian with water from the road whilst driving your car and you could also be slapped with a public order offence if you are seen to deliberately drive through puddles to target pedestrians.

Under section three of the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is an offence to drive “without reasonable consideration for other persons”, and this includes any instance of “driving through a puddle causing pedestrians to be splashed”.

The maximum punishment is a level five fine of £5,000 in instances where driving “amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggressiveness”.

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You are more likely to be be issued with a £100 fixed penalty notice and three penalty points if you are caught.

But if you refuse to pay and take the matter to court you could see a maximum fine of £5,000 imposed.

So next time you are driving on rainy days, you should maybe think twice and slow down before splashing through that large puddle by the side of the road.

It could cost you.

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